The best Wikipedia app for Windows Phone gets new features in latest update

Wikipedia, by developer extraordinaire Rudy Huyn, is easily one of the nicest apps for Windows Phone. We said as much in our earlier mini-review and we stand by that statement.

Version 1.1 has just gone live in the Marketplace and there are quite a few welcome changes and additions to make this outstanding app even better…

Changelog v1.1 of Wikipedia:

The Web browser now has a scroll bar

Multi live tiles (with periodic agent)

Customizing the color of the application: default, system, or custom color

Two designs for the main tile

Browser now keeps the position of the article (click on a link, then back)

You can now change the font and look within an article by tapping ‘edit visualization’, which also allows you to lock the orientation.

One of the neatest aspects though is how the browser keeps track of your reading position. Basically, if you’re like us and like to take trips down the ‘Wikipedia hole’, you end up hitting link after link within the article. Now, when you do that but want to go back you can hit the back arrow and the article goes back to where you previously left off. Before, it would just reload the whole article from the beginning, making you have to scroll back down to where you hit the proceeding link. Very cool but subtle trick.

The other features include the new Tile, including a Wikipedia Logo type or Rudy’s variant. Either version can have the default color, Accent color or even a custom one chosen for your liking. Finally, there is also now a Live Tile option too, allowing the tile to show you today’s featured article or updates to your favorites.

The best part of Wikipedia is that it’s completely free with no ads, making it easily one of the best choices for a new app.

Pick up Wikipedia here in the Store or watch our hands on video below. Thanks, jnonis, for the tip

Ahh... Orientation lock. Great! I wonder if this will ever be fixed at the OS-level. Didn't any of these WP designers ever try using their phone in bed?

This is truly a well made app. One suggestion though.. It would be nice to have a white on black theme that uses a truly black background instead of dark gray. Makes a big difference on AMOLED screens.

Thank you for bringing up orientation-lock. Wish more apps would have it. Not sure how Microsoft would incorporate it at the OS-level without a hardware button to associate it with. Maybe a two-button command...

This could be solved very easily at the OS-level without any hardware button. Just add a setting in the OS settings to control the data provided to apps that is used to determine the orientation. Changing such a setting would be comparable to turning Bluetooth or wi-fi on/off.

Lack of orientation lock is the worst thing about the Kindle app. When it was released I emailed Amazon to ask them to add it to a future release. They replied saying that their app did not have an orientation lock. Love it when people reply without actually reading your email properly!

WPCENTRAL! PLEEEASE PLEASE PLEEEEASE GIVE THE OPTION TO CUSTOMIZE THE COLOR OF YOUR LIVE TILE!!! your app is one of the few first tiles I see on my main screen because I use it so much and it has the number of new articles on the tile, so it's a good one to have near the top... but it's the same color as all the other main tiles (phone, messaging, email...)! It makes the menu look mono tone until you actually scroll down, and that's boring! PLEASE give the option of having a custom color on your live tile! I wonder it you're going to even read this though :/